Let me start by saying "WOW!" This chapter was incredibly informative, with so much information about promoting positive behaviors school wide, in classroom settings, and for groups as well as individual students. I think the most beneficial information for myself was the different ways to collect and analyze data to help with informing and developing behavior plans. I also really liked the idea of helping a student recognize their behaviors and be able to keep track of them. I think it is important for a (group of) student/s to be as involved as possible with regard to their individualized (classroom) behavior plan, including helping with consequences for the behaviors. I think this provides students a sense that they can be trusted and their thoughts respected.
This brings me to what I feel is the MOST important piece and that is developing relationships with students. This never came from any textbook for me, but from my life experiences (as a child...present). When working with children I have always drawn from that place of "what was it I needed when I was their age?" I always needed first and foremost an adult that I could trust, this provided a safe place for me to be. I needed to be praised, quite frankly, I still do. I needed guidance, someone to "show me" the ropes. I needed to know that I could be trusted, respected, and that my feelings were not ignored. I needed structure/stability. Beyond all of this, I needed to know I was LOVED. As an adult, all of these needs still exist within me to some degree, but I feel like children in particular regardless of culture need be shown that they are respected first and foremost, and shown kindness. How you do this should be constructed around respect for their individual "cultures."
This is the one thing that I feel is fundamentally missing in our world with one another. Kindness and respect for our fellow humans and the disconnect I see so many adults have with young children. I see a lot of old ideas still looming out there about kids, one in particular is "children are to be seen and not heard." I also just heard recently (in "a" classroom) from a veteran teacher with regard to classroom management "this is MY classroom, not "THEIRS"...this is not a democracy, public school is NOT A DEMOCRACY they don't get to choose in here, they will do what I say...and they need to understand this." How supported do these children feel? I know they have enormous respect for her. Her class is by far the most well-behaved group of children. But I am always curious if this is because they are afraid of her, quite frankly as one of my peers, she terrifies me! Most people with a "zero-tolerance" mentality frighten me, but this is just me and I realize their are many more different views out there.
Going back into the chapter, the other beneficial information I found was with regard to specific classroom ideas/adaptations for certain student needs. My favorite piece to this is on page 315 with the inclusion of technology. This has become a sort of passion of mine. Last semester, with the amount of exposure I got with regards to technology and its ability to reach all students, I came to a true understanding of how important this piece is to educating our children today. It has sent me on a personal mission to ensure my classroom students are technologically savvy. That is if I can find a job : )
I whole heartedly agree with you about building relationships with students. I feel that chidlren need to know they can trust their teachers to be there for them through the good and the bad. In this world, they are so few people that children (and adults) can rely on anymore and I agree that we (as teachers) need to be one of them. It's a sad reality, but sometimes teachers are the only people who really care about their students and want to see them do well and it is important for us to let them know that we do.
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